Hi everyone, hope you are all coping with the winter taking up residence. I don't post often but I do stalk everyone daily. I have a flight test 11/11/14. Has anyone done this, if so can you advise me what to expect. I have copd, diagnosed asthma 1998, copd 2004, had ct scan 29/10/14, waiting results. Response much appreciated, quite a shy person really,64 years old. Take care everyone

10 Replies

Hi ermintrude, I can't remember the exact details (nearly a year ago) but I do recall that it involved taking two blood oxygen tests over a 20/30 minute period. A little unpleasant, as some people find the taking of arterial blood from the wrist slightly painful. Really nothing to worry about. Hope this helps.

I had a fit to fly test recently. Mine consisted of breathing air with reduced oxygen, equivalent amount of oxygen to that in an airplane cabin at 8000 feet, through a tube for 20 minutes. Your blood will be taken before, during and after this test to see how it deals with being in a reduced oxygen space. My blood was taken from my earlobe, but if it is done via artery in the wrist you can ask for a local anaesthetic. If your oxygen saturation is sufficiently decreased e.g. 88% or below, you will be prescribed oxygen for the flight. The BLF have a leaflet on this, or the helpline will advise. Good luck

Hi everyone thank you all so much for your resonse, yes blood gases are very unpleasant, last October it took them 5 attempts on one wrist and 3 on the other before success, so not looking forward to it but I do want to get away to the sun. Will let you know results Wednesday AND by then

I have been told I will have to have fit to fly test before I fly anywhere. But they did suggest I do not fly. So I have now looked at trains or boats to get to my holiday destination. But it is the insurance that is stopping me at the moment!

Flew out to Qatar last Tuesday with no-one mentioning anything about flight tests!!! Didn't know anything like that existed! Anyhow, Flight was fine and I am now getting prepared to fly back this Tuesday! Can't be of much help really, except to say I just go ahead and do things regardless and hope for the best!!! Hope all goes well with you!

Thanks for reply, I am currently on oxygen at night and I need flight test at hospital to see how much my oxygen drops on a flight (even healthy people lose oxygen flying), but I don't want to be on oxy while flying if I can avoid it, apart from the insurance which can be very expensive.